MICHAL, WIFE OF KING DAVID
(A
study concerning marital morals and ethics)
Michal was a daughter of Saul, king of Israel. Saul was not a faithful man and he was frivolous at times, he didn't keep his promises. He had promised to give David his elder daughter Merab, but gave her to another man. (1 Samuel 18:17-19) After the disappointment, David still honored the king Saul, who was against David and wanted him to get killed in battle with the Philistines, religious, racial and cultural, geographical, real estate enemies of Israel. Nevertheless, Saul was determined to give David Michal for a wife.
BETROTHAL
King David lived in the era of the second law, and a dowry price was required for virgins (Ex. 22:16, Dt. 22:13-21, 28, 29). Saul spoke of the betrothal of his daughter Michal to David.
DOWRY PRICE (WITHIN THE TIME LIMIT, VERSE 26) AND COMPLETED MARRIAGE
1 Samuel 18:20 And Michal Saul’s daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in the one of the twain. (KJV)
Michal was a member of nobility, and David became a government noble through her, son-in-law of the king. Their relationship began with love. Michal was fond of David, and David impliedly was mutually fond of her, desiring their togetherness in a marriage, and willing to work and earn the dowry price. However, greatly due to Saul's unfit personal example, lack of character and integrity, and forced interference in their lives, their romantic harmony did not last and prosper. Saul's purpose of destroying his opponent David was more important to him than the fidelity of his daughter's marriage.
1 Samuel 18:25 And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king’s enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son in law: and the days were not expired. 27 Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king’s son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife. (KJV)
So, David fulfilled the dowry price, and became a husband to Michal. However, as time passed Saul became a great enemy to David and continued to try to kill him. He even took away his wife Michal, whom David had fully paid for, and gave her to another man.
TOLERATED AND JUSTIFIED POLYGAMY OF DAVID, BUT LOSS OF MICHAL TO PHALTI (NOT JUSTIFIED BUT LEGALIZED ADULTERY THROUGH SAUL)
1 Samuel 25:42 And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife. 43 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were also both of them his wives. 44 But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, which was of Gallim. (KJV)
David had become a polygamist (verses 42, 43), which was lawful during the second law era, but of course, it is not tolerated in the fulfillment era, the new covenant. To verify that polygamy was tolerated and justified through the first and second law, take note of what God said through the prophet unto King David after he had overcome Saul, but committed adultery with Bathsheba, which was not tolerated (without written release papers from the ex-husband) during the second era.
Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; And I gave thee thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. (2 Sa. 12:7-9)
Notice, God gave not one wife, but “wives” (2 Samuel 12:8) into David's bosom. The word is plural. If God gave David many wives, then many wives were certainly permissible during the second law era. However, as many people know today, monogamy replaced polygamy during the fulfillment era. Also, we may infer a wife is a gift of God, even as a position (kingship), deliverance from enemies, the kingdom we reign over, and even more things, as to David, so is God's graciousness to us in our day also. Back to Michal, and her love for David, it seems she still loved him while she was still married to him, at least enough so to help him escape the wrath of her father.
1 Samuel 19: 9 And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand. 10 And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night. 11 Saul also sent messengers unto David’s house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David’s wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain. 12 So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped. (KJV)
DAVID'S RIGHTEOUS DEMAND FOR RETURN OF MICHAL (JUSTIFIED TACIT DIVORCE OF MICHAL FROM PHALTI)
While David was on the run from Saul, Michal was given away in an unlawful marriage. Nevertheless, afterward David's military success, he demanded her return to his kingdom. David disallowed the treachery and marital uncleanness of Michal and Phalti (verse 43: Phaltiel—longer name version) to continue under the new government.
2 Samuel 3:12 And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying also, Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee. 13 And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal Saul’s daughter, when thou comest to see my face. 14 And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul’s son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines. 15 And Ishbosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Phaltiel the son of Laish. 16 And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned. 17 And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you: 18 Now then do it: for the LORD hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies. (KJV)
KINGDOM OF ISRAEL ADVANCED, BUT RELATIONSHIP OF DAVID AND MICHAL HAD DETERIORATED (QUESTION OF UNCERTAINTY AND DEUTERONOMY 24:4)
However, after Michal's being sent away unto the unlawful relationship with Phalti, and afterward David becoming victorious over her father, Michal's attitude and personality was not the same. She did not have the respect that she had toward David before. She lacked praise for God advancing her first husband and the kingdom. She was delivered from the disgrace of the adulterous relationship and still possessed royalty to a degree, however, her marital status changed. Evidently, the former love and mutual harmony was not expressed in their conversation below (verses 20-22). Whether there was an absence of sexual intimacy after her return from another man (Dt. 24:4) is not specifically stated in the Scripture, although it is stated that Michal never bore King David any children (verse 23). Furthermore, it is recorded that he had many children by his other wives.
2 Samuel 6:12 And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city of David with gladness. 13 And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings. 14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. 16 And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart. 17 And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 18 And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts. 19 And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house. 20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself! 21 And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD. 22 And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour. 23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.
7:1 And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies; (KJV)
1 Chronicles 15:27 And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen. 28 Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps. 29 And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw king David dancing and playing: and she despised him in her heart.
King David showed no respect for the children Michal had brought up for Adriel while she was away from her first husband.
2 Samuel 21:8 But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite: 9 And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before the LORD: and they fell all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.
Links:
Three Eras of Law: First, Second and Fulfillment (New Covenant)
Basic Principles of Marriage Law
Fornication Recovery and Damage Control after Adultery
A Study of Tamar, King David's Raped Daughter